Entries 7558
“I did it, I fxxxxing did it!” screamed Jan Willem Theodoor Nijmeijer in front of the cameras, overwhelmed by emotion. The 31-year-old Dutchman has just claimed victory in the King’s Million Main Event, securing the trophy and a first-place prize of over €160,000 after a three-handed deal was struck. The remaining players agreed to an ICM chop, leaving approximately €39,000 for the outright winner.
Nijmeijer’s return on his €250 buy-in is nothing short of incredible, but the significance of this event goes far beyond his individual triumph. This edition of the King’s Million set a new benchmark for European poker, smashing attendance records with a staggering 7,558 entries, making it the largest field ever seen on the continent.
The tournament was a true poker marathon, stretching from 2 AM to 6:30 AM—a grueling test of endurance for the final players. One of the standout performances came from runner-up Vlad Andruska, who dominated as chip leader for much of the Final Day. Though he fell just short of the title, his deep run and massive payday will be remembered.
The entire showdown is available in the video below for those who want to relive the Final Table action. But before that, let’s hear from the champion himself as he reflects on his unforgettable victory in an exclusive post-win interview.
Stack situation at the start
1 - 🇷🇴 Vlad Andrusca | 76,5M
2 - 🇧🇪 Ferdinando Dalessio | 48,6M
3 - 🇨🇳 Zewei Ding | 53M
4 - 🇹🇷 Ertan Yilmaz | 38,9M
5 - 🇳🇱 Jan Willem Theodoor Nijmeijer | 28,5M
6 - 🇨🇿 Pavel Svach | 21,8M
7 - 🇷🇴 Andrei Iustin Birgaoanu | 20,5M
8 - 🇵🇹 Valter Sampaio Perei Teixeira | 7,3M
9 - 🇺🇦 Suren Saiian | 3,6M
Winner's speech
Willem Nijmeijer is still buzzing, the adrenaline surging through his veins. “It’s incredible, just unbelievable. My biggest previous cash was around €7,000… so you can imagine the shock!”
Despite this monumental win, poker isn’t his full-time profession. “I don’t grind online, and I only play live when I have the time. I love coming here to King’s Casino, but for me, it’s just a hobby. And that makes this win even sweeter. It’s amazing, I still can’t believe it—it hasn’t fully sunk in yet.”
That said, he had a feeling something special was coming. “I started Day 2 with just 100,000 chips, 10 big blinds. Within ten minutes, I had already quadrupled up, and from that moment on, everything just seemed to be going right. Of course, there were ups and downs, but my stack kept growing.” By the end of Day 2, he had 7 million chips, sitting around 10th in the chip counts.
A Wild Ride to the Trophy
The Final Day was a relentless battle. “At one point, with the average stack around 15 million, I played two massive 30-million chip pots. I won the first one, then got sucked out on another… it was a crazy rollercoaster, but the cards were on my side. It was my day.”
The deal at the final table secured him a near full first-place payout, something he’s still coming to terms with. “I took almost the full prize—it’s just insane.” But will this win change his life? Willem pauses for a moment. “I’m not sure… I’ll definitely play more tournaments, maybe at higher stakes. But aside from that, I don’t think much will change.”
Part-time Poker Player
Surprisingly, Nijmeijer is still a student. “I’m 31 years old. I started college late because I used to play poker. I went to university at 25 or 26. Poker has always been part of my life, and after today, it definitely will be even more!”
His friends were watching from home, even though it wasn’t exactly the most convenient time. “My phone is blowing up! I think a lot of them stayed up to watch. Some of them even had a piece of my action, which makes it even better—it’s amazing to share something like this with them!”
If his life stays the same, one thing is certain: there’s going to be a big celebration. “Oh, absolutely! A massive party is coming!”
Where? “In Groningen, the Netherlands!”
How about my Parents? “They don’t even know yet! They know I’m in the Czech Republic, but they have no idea I just won this tournament. While I was playing heads-up, I thought, ‘Holy shit, my parents have no idea what’s happening right now!’ I wanted to let them sleep, but I’ll call them soon.”
Running on Adrenaline
Was fatigue ever an issue after such a long grind? “Honestly, no. Day 2 ended at 5 AM, Day 3 started at 2 PM—I probably slept five hours total. But as you go deeper in the tournament, adrenaline takes over. Right now, I don’t feel tired at all.”
If given the choice, would he have preferred to stop the final table and continue the next day? “Never! When you’re in the flow, you just want to keep playing!”
Breaking Down the Final Hand
The final hand had an interesting moment—his opponent mentioned blockers after the showdown. Willem laughs and explains. “I had J♣ 3♠, and he had 6♠ 8♠. The flop came Q♦ J♦ 4♠, check-check. The turn was 6♦, I bet, and he called. The river was 5♦, completing flushes and backdoor straights. But I had the J♦, which was a good card to have, blocking some straight draws… I don’t know, it was just a gut feeling—something in my brain told me it was good. And in the end, it was!”
Results (after ICM deal)
Want to see how the King’s Million Main Event unfolded? Check out the full action on our LIVE BLOG!
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